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Displaying Solo Information in Jazz Discography

February 19, 2018 By Noal Cohen

In my article on compiling and displaying solo information in jazz discographies, I address the positioning and characterization of solos within a jazz performance using parameters such as the number of bars and/or choruses. An alternative involves using timings to indicate the location and duration of each solo. In the article, I only mention this option in the context of free or formless improvisation where counting measures or choruses is virtually impossible.

Therefore, it was with great interest that I noted in his recent, excellent book “Experiencing Big Band Jazz: A Listener’s Companion” (Rowman & Littlefield, Lanham, Maryland, 2017), Jeff Sultanoff uses timings to place not only solos but other significant features within dozens of examples of big band recordings. This is a very effective way of directing the reader/listener to these highlights because: 1. No musical knowledge or training is required to understand the performance landscape, and 2. With most music now being listened to on digital equipment, a timing point is much easier to locate than in the days of analog releases.

Here is a comparison of the two approaches using an example from my Lucky Thompson Discography (“Boppin’ the Blues” recorded April 22, 1947 for RCA Victor – track h):

Example 1 (using bars and choruses):
h – Jackie Mills (d) 4-bar intro; Dodo Marmarosa (p) 36 bars (3 choruses); Neal Hefti (t) 24 bars (2 choruses); Benny Carter (as) 24 bars (2 choruses); Barney Kessel (g) 36 bars (3 choruses); Lucky Thompson (ts) 60 bars (5 choruses); Jackie Mills (d) 4 bars

Example 2 (using timings):
h – Jackie Mills (d) 0:00; Dodo Marmarosa (p) 0:13; Neal Hefti (t) 0:44; Benny Carter (as) 1:04; Barney Kessel (g) 1:23; Lucky Thompson (ts) 1:54; Jackie Mills (d) 2:43

This example uses bars, choruses and timings and is the most informative but also the most labor intensive for the compiler:
h – Jackie Mills (d) 0:00, 4-bar intro; Dodo Marmarosa (p) 0:13, 36 bars (3 choruses); Neal Hefti (t) 0:44, 24 bars (2 choruses); Benny Carter (as) 1:04, 24 bars (2 choruses); Barney Kessel (g) 1:23, 36 bars (3 choruses); Lucky Thompson (ts) 1:54, 60 bars (5 choruses); Jackie Mills (d) 2:43, 4 bars

Discography considerations aside, Sultanoff’s book is highly recommended.

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